By Ian Lockwood
May 7 2006

A bizzare qualifying session saw Christian Kliens improved performance this weekend scuppered. The Austrian was a victim of a phantom red flag and then was then blocked by the Super Aguri of Takuma Sato.

DAVID COULTHARD, (Position 14^th): "My last lap was good until I lost some time on the last corner, so there’s still some work to be done. I feel for Christian. It’s always disappointing to get caught up in traffic, but it’s unusual for such a timing error to occur. The red flag happened on my out lap, so we were able to rectify everything before I started my timed lap, but it’s very disappointing for Christian, especially as he was going so well this weekend."

CHRISTIAN KLIEN, (Position 17th): "I’m massively pissed off. All weekend I’ve been quick, I was in the top eight this morning and it was a really good opportunity for me and the team to be in the top ten today. During a timed lap, my engineers told me there was a red flag, so I slowed down and prepared to come back to the pits. But I was then told to continue, which was very strange, as that normally can’t happen under a red flag. So, I did another lap. My tyres were worn, but I was on for a good time until I came up to Sato. He didn’t look in his mirrors and ruined my whole lap and whole qualifying session. For me it’s a really shit day and makes the rest of the weekend pretty complicated."

CHRISTIAN HORNER:

"Christian was extremely unlucky. When he was on his flying lap, the FIA timing screen crashed bringing on a red flag. It was immediately relayed to the drivers to slow down, so his lap was aborted. When it was clear that there wasn’t a red flag, Christian started a second timed lap, but Takuma Sato blatantly blocked him, which cost him well over a second and any chance of moving into part two. It’s a great shame, as he’s been looking good all weekend. David looked as though he was on the bubble on his last lap, until a slight mistake in the last corner cost him a couple of tenths. It’s frustrating to be where we are, but the potential’s to be better. We’ll move up two places due to the Cosworth engine changes, and tomorrow will be racing hard."

STATISTICS

DAVID COULTHARD (Car 14)

3rd Practice Position:	16		Best Time:			1:32.779	Laps:		15
Qualifying Position:		14			Best Time:			1:31.227
Chassis Number:				3

 

 

 

 

 

CHRISTIAN KLIEN (Car 15)

3rd Practice Position:	8		Best Time:			1:32.197	Laps:		13
Qualifying Position:		17			Best Time:			1:32.901
Chassis Number:				2